4th grade new user questions about downloads

[momof6]

Hi! I'm new to using the complete package for my children, but not new to Memoria Press in general. I have some questions and can't seem to figure this all out. I searched on the website and this forum for answers, but couldn't find them. Any help is appreciated!

I spent a couple of hours going through the curriculum manual and each and every book and read everything, all the intro's, all the tips and just familiarized myself with it all. Then I downloaded and printed the supplemental pages and now I am so confused! What do I do with all of the supplemental things? Here are my specific questions. I hope this doesn't become too long...

1). States and Capitals One Year Pace download: I see no difference between the download and what is in the main curriculum manual, except the book selections. What is the difference and which one am I supposed to use? The curriculum manual is already a "one year pace" as it ends with a final exam of the states on the last day. Why is the download titled such?

2). Composition Supplemental Lessons: These seem identical to what is in the back of the book. Why are they also in downloadable form? Am I missing something with them?

3). Christian Studies Final Review/Test: Same question as #2

4). Composition/Grammar: There are different lesson plans included in the downloads. The only difference is that the IEW book "All Thing Fun & Fascinating" is being used instead of the Fable book. Which one am I supposed to use? It's just included with no explanation.

5). Review Box Cards: There are some in the back of the manual and some in the downloads, again with no explanation. They seem identical. Which ones am I to be using?


These are my main problems for now. I apologize if this seems simple, I just cannot seem to wrap my brain around the why's and how to use this. I might be on overload from looking at this all day, too! :-) I just want to make sure I'm teaching my daughter the right things and since I'm coming into it "late" I'm not entirely sure what was taught in the 3rd grade package, etc. I want her to be prepared for 5th grade, as well. Thank you in advance for your time!

[Michael]

Re: 4th grade new user questions about downloads

Hi! I'm new to using the complete package for my children, but not new to Memoria Press in general. I have some questions and can't seem to figure this all out. I searched on the website and this forum for answers, but couldn't find them. Any help is appreciated!

I spent a couple of hours going through the curriculum manual and each and every book and read everything, all the intro's, all the tips and just familiarized myself with it all. Then I downloaded and printed the supplemental pages and now I am so confused! What do I do with all of the supplemental things? Here are my specific questions. I hope this doesn't become too long...

1). States and Capitals One Year Pace download: I see no difference between the download and what is in the main curriculum manual, except the book selections. What is the difference and which one am I supposed to use? The curriculum manual is already a "one year pace" as it ends with a final exam of the states on the last day. Why is the download titled such?

2). Composition Supplemental Lessons: These seem identical to what is in the back of the book. Why are they also in downloadable form? Am I missing something with them?

3). Christian Studies Final Review/Test: Same question as #2

4). Composition/Grammar: There are different lesson plans included in the downloads. The only difference is that the IEW book "All Thing Fun & Fascinating" is being used instead of the Fable book. Which one am I supposed to use? It's just included with no explanation.

5). Review Box Cards: There are some in the back of the manual and some in the downloads, again with no explanation. They seem identical. Which ones am I to be using?


These are my main problems for now. I apologize if this seems simple, I just cannot seem to wrap my brain around the why's and how to use this. I might be on overload from looking at this all day, too! :-) I just want to make sure I'm teaching my daughter the right things and since I'm coming into it "late" I'm not entirely sure what was taught in the 3rd grade package, etc. I want her to be prepared for 5th grade, as well. Thank you in advance for your time!

Welcome!

Several of our products come with complimentary downloads. Many are of quizzes and tests which we have given you permission to reproduce for your personal use in your own home. Others are for lesson plans when you customize a package to include a subject not in the default Curriculum Manual. All the downloads are only meant to help, so I apologize that they have instead confused you! To answer your questions one by one:

1) Our website is a little quirky when it comes to packages, and sometimes includes "duplicate" digital lesson plans. You are correct that this download is identical to what's in your CM. (The pace is called "one-year" because students who start States and Capitals in 3rd use a two-year pace.)

2) Are you referring to supplemental lessons in the back of the CM? If so, those are meant to be copied for the student so he doesn't have to write in the CM itself. To make reproducing them easier, we provide a PDF so you don't have to find a photocopier. This is also why we include PDFs of the Christian Studies Final (3) and the Review Boxes (5).

4) Fable is the default writing course for 4th for New Users. Did you customize and change to ATFAF? If so, that is why you received the downloadable lesson plans. You need them for ATFAF because it won't be in your CM. If you did not customize and are using Fable, then this download is a glitch and can be ignored.

In general, unless you customize a subject and thus need different lesson plans, you never NEED any of the downloads. They are optional helps.

I hope I've answered all of your questions and clarified how our downloads work. If not, or if you have any other questions, please let me know.

Finally, welcome again!

[nolamama]

Re: 4th grade new user questions about downloads

Thank you both for asking and answering these questions! I had some of the same ones.

One more to add for 4th for new users:

Poetry for the Grammar Stage is included in the curriculum package but I can't find where it comes up in the lesson plans. Any guidance is helpful!

Thanks,
Cayla

[serendipitous journey]

Re: 4th grade new user questions about downloads

Another note regarding the "unnecessary" digital plans: I've found, over the years, that it is super useful to have downloadable lesson plans. We never do a year quite as planned (either by Memoria Press or by myself!) and here are some ways I've used them:

1. to print out on adhesive paper and cut & paste into our main manual

2. to help myself adjust what we're doing when we need to change levels/catch up

3. to just print out and give to the child so that we can make that subject "do the next thing" or otherwise "customize" (aka mess with) the scheduling

Thank you both for asking and answering these questions! I had some of the same ones.

One more to add for 4th for new users:

Poetry for the Grammar Stage is included in the curriculum package but I can't find where it comes up in the lesson plans. Any guidance is helpful!

Thanks,
Cayla

Cayla, it is usually included in the year's literature section: not as a separate topic, but within the lessons. Maybe somebody who has the 4NU guide can tell you where to find an example of this in those plans, but I think you'll find it if you read over the scheduled literature for a few weeks. ETA: see Angela's post below: it may not be in your manual.

[Angela]

Re: 4th grade new user questions about downloads

We did 4NU last year and I had to write in the poetry lessons. I don't remember clearly what the issue was, but I believe I looked through the digital literature plans and added the poetry myself. For some reason it was included in the digital plans but missing in my hard copy of the CG. I don't know if that is the case with yours as well, but you might want to check.

[MamaHill]

Re: 4th grade new user questions about downloads

Thank you both for asking and answering these questions! I had some of the same ones.

One more to add for 4th for new users:

Poetry for the Grammar Stage is included in the curriculum package but I can't find where it comes up in the lesson plans. Any guidance is helpful!

Thanks,
Cayla

Hi Cayla! I'm new to MP cores this year also. As I'm looking through our 4NU guide, I found the poetry starts on Friday of Week 7. It's located on the Literature row.

HTH
Lauren

[nolamama]

Re: 4th grade new user questions about downloads

Thanks all! I found it within the lit lessons in the download.